Obesity is a disease affecting about 60 million people in the United States, and women are particularly affected. More than one-third of women between the ages of 20 and 74 are obese, most of them African-American or Mexican-American. With more and more prepackaged foods and less and less activity, the number of obese people in the United States has steadily increased since the 1960s.

But what is obesity? Many people think that obesity means that one person is overweight, but this is not entirely correct. Overweight people are overweight, including muscles, bones, fat and water. Obese people have excess body fat. Most health professionals believe that if a man weighs more than 25%, she will become obese. If a woman weighs more than 30%, she will become obese. Women have more body fat than men, so this is why there is a difference in percentages.

It is difficult to determine the exact percentage of fat in a person's body, but it is estimated to be done in a variety of ways. First, using a tweezers-like tool called a caliper, you can measure the skin fold thickness in different parts of the body and compare the results to standardized numbers. You can also use a small device to send harmless current through your body and measure your body fat percentage. The most common way to determine if a person is obese is to look at his/her body mass index [BMI]. People with a BMI of more than 30 are considered obese, and a BMI of more than 40 is considered to be severely obese. It is important to remember that BMI may be misleading in pregnant or lactating women as well as in muscular individuals.

With obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, breast cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer are at increased risk. In addition, obesity is associated with mental health conditions such as depression or shame and low self-esteem. Health experts say that even if you lose 10% to 15%, you can greatly reduce the risk of these serious diseases. In addition, many obese people are subject to discrimination and insults and other abusive targets.

Many factors, such as poor diet, lack of physical activity, genetics and certain medical disorders, can lead to obesity, but it can be conquered. One of the main obstacles to more active participation is motivation and responsibility. Find a friend with similar fitness goals and start a simple exercise program together. It takes time to see the results, but your health is worth it!

American obesity – a growing epidemic! was originally published on Spring